Best Hydroponic System in 2022 | Reviews, Comparison & Buyer’s Guide

In this article we’ve tried to analyze the modern hydroponic approaches. Also, we have reviewed 8 most favorite hydroponic systems, from our point of view. All of them feature a number of benefits and cover a wide range of budgets.

What is the best hydroponic system? Firstly, these advanced indoor gardening units should come in a stable and durable design which may match any interior due to the sleek appearance. The number of plant spaces should comply with the needs of any particular grower. The best models should accept any growing medium suitable for different hydroponic techniques. Besides, LED grow lights, powerful pumps, integrated high capacity reservoir and auto control system should become indispensable elements of any cutting-edge hydroponic equipment.

Best Hydroponic Systems Compared

Buyer’s Guide

The term "hydroponics" is originated from Greek ύδωρ - water and πονέω - cultivate. In practice, hydroponics is the cultivation of plants in a nutrient-rich aqueous solution without the use of soil. This method allows growing fresh greens and vegetables during cold seasons at home. Besides, handling of plants can be performed in a more efficient and effective manner with less efforts and time thanks to such systems.

Five Modern Hydroponic Systems for Your Indoor Garden | Comparison and Recommendations

To begin with, I would like to clarify, once again, that hydroponics is a soilless method of plant cultivation, which has a number of advantages. Instead of soil, a planter uses a growing substrate that supports plants and assists in delivering water, fertilizers and oxygen to the roots of the plants. The most suitable substrates are chemically neutral (do not affect the acid-base balance). They have porous structure and can quickly dry out. The following materials are widely used as hydroponic media: mineral wool, perlite expanded clay, etc.

The nutrient solution contains all the chemical elements necessary for the crops. Due to the fact that roots are given plenty of access to all growing media, the plant considerably spends less vital energy to find water and nutrition, which has a positive effect on the development and growth rate of its aboveground part. This allows gardeners obtaining rich harvests in a shorter period of time.

However, plants, similarly to people, are different. Each of them, especially those belonging to different families, has their own requirements for cultivation conditions. First of all, this is due to the peculiarities of the area of ​​their natural habitat. Also, many hydroponic systems are not suitable for certain conditions. It can be explained by the fact that some of them take up a lot of space; others require complex equipment, etc.

After all, there are a vast majority of options for any given situation, which makes hydroponics a popular method of growing plants among many growers. So, let’s have an insight into them to get a clearer understanding of the main differences and peculiarities.

• Wick system – it is used for small plants with short roots; it works by means of a wick through which moisture and nutritive liquid are fed to the substrate and to the roots, accordingly from the tank; This is the simplest hydroponic system that does not require special equipment. However, this planting method is not very effective, especially when it comes to big vegetable plants. The wick system belongs to the class of passive systems, meaning that it doesn’t have moving parts.

• DWC System (Deep Water System) – it is an alternative method of growing salads, as well as other small, fast growing and moisture-loving plants. They should have an extensive root system to touch the nutrient solution. The DWC system doesn't require any serious equipment. On the contrary, it commonly consists of a supporting platform for the plants which is usually made of polystyrene foam. The latter floats directly on the surface of the nutrient solution. An air pump saturates the nutrient fluid with oxygen, which the plant absorbs through its roots in sufficient quantities. The AeroGarden Black Harvest Indoor Hydroponic Garden is one of the most outstanding options among other DWC systems available on the current market.

  This type of hydroponic systems could be a great option for getting started with hydroponics skills. However, there are many cultures that would hardly grow in such conditions. Nevertheless, if you are keen on growing big crops with this system, then additional supports or trellis will be required for their reliable fixation. Besides, persistently high levels of nutrient fluid can lead to root rot.

• EBB and flow system – the principle of this method implies that roots are not permanently in the nutrient; instead, the system first fully submerges them and into liquid and then allows it getting drained back into a tank through special holes. A pump is used for automatic supply of the solution on a scheduled basis. The availability of equipment makes this system active. In fact, it is fully automatic. For instance, The GARDYN HOME INDOOR SMART GARDEN is the innovative and fully automatic system with an all-based app and a smart gardening assistant.

  However, the dependence on electricity makes it vulnerable in cases of unexpected power outage. Besides, it is strongly recommended to use special substrate which perfectly retains moisture; otherwise, the culture will experience lack of it already in a few hours. And this will have an extremely negative impact on the cultivation process.

• Drip Hydroponic System – here the nutrient fluid is directly dispensed to the roots of the weeds; as the excess amount of it is sent back to the tank. With the drip system, a decent aeration occurs, which prevents development of pathogens of infectious diseases. The system is always delivered with a water pump which works in tandem with a timer. In general, this method contributes to the efficient distribution of nutritive elements for the enhanced growth of your harvest. The ATAMI WILMA 4 DRIPPER SYSTEM 11L POTS HYDROPONICS allows faster growing of various crops with its auto irrigation process.

• NFT (nutrient film technique) – this is a durable hydroponics. This technique is used for growing crops that are sloped. NFT is a popular hydroponics system, as well. It has a similar principle of work to the Ebb and Flow method. It also uses a pump to supply fertilizers, water and oxygen to the grow channel. Also this system consists of a drain pipe to recycle the excessive nutrient fluid. The difference is that in NFT the nutrient fluid is recirculating over root apexes on a constant basis by gravity. Thus, there is no need in a growing medium. As a result, the roots are not supported by the substrate, so they cannot bear high weight from a top-heavy plant. Absence of substrate allows the gardener to save money and efforts while planting new seeds. For instance, The VIVOSUN HYDROPONIC GROW KIT allows for vigorous growing of multiple plants with reduced water and nutrient fluid consumption.

  Nevertheless, the main disadvantage of the system is its strong dependence on the pump. In case of its damage or power cut, the roots will dry out very quickly. This is mainly provoked by the absence of any substrate.

Top-8 hydroponic systems

AEROGARDEN BLACK HARVEST INDOOR HYDROPONIC GARDEN

AeroGarden line is offered by AeroGrow International, Inc. which was founded in the U.S. in 2002. The Company focuses on developing, manufacturing, and distributing state-of-the-art indoor garden equipment, seed kits, and many other accompanying accessories. Nowadays, AeroGrow International is a well-known brand worldwide.

This AeroGarden hydroponic system is designed for cultivation of 6 plants at a time. The harvest may grow up to 12-inch tall. This system implies deep water techniques, as the growing process takes place in water and 5X faster than in soil. The enhanced growth is also ensured by the integrated 20 Watt LED lighting system. Its height can be varied depending on the current crop's condition. The 15-hour light setting has proved its efficiency for rapid and healthy growth.

Also, this unit comes with a user-friendly control panel which informs about the necessity to add water or fertilize under a preset schedule. More than that, this model is delivered with a non-GMO seed kit and a package of natural plant nutrients.

Features

• Grow height (in.): 12
• Number of pots (pcs.): 6
• Weight (lbs): 5.4
• Dimensions (L x W x H) (in): 11 x 8 x 15

This is an outstanding hydroponic garden for its ease of setup and use. Also, this model is quite compact which can fit in even the toughest spaces.

AEROGARDEN BLACK HARVEST: Check the current price

AEROGARDEN HARVEST ELITE - STAINLESS STEEL

It is another advanced AeroGarden system. In general, this model is very similar to the above-reviewed one in its design and capacity. However, this Harvest Elite demonstrates some unique features which stand it out from other comprehensive counterparts. In particular, it comes in a rugged but sleek stainless steel design. Thus, you won’t have any concerns regarding its arrangement in your house; as this unit fits in any interior perfectly.

The Harvest Elite can accept up to 6 plants to be grown at a time with the height approaching 12 inches. The cultivation is realized in deep water media like with the AeroGarden Black Harvest System. The growing lighting system and control have the same principle of operation. However, in addition it comes with adjustable ‘light-on’ times which can be customized on the built-in LCD panel depending on your needs. Also, this model can be switched to Vacation Mode to maintain adequate growing conditions while you are out.

Features

• Grow height (in.): 12
• Number of pots (pcs.): 6
• Weight (lbs): 6
• Dimensions (L x W x H) (in): 11 x 8 x 15

In general, the AeroGarden Harvest Elite reminds another congener from the Aerogarden line. However, its fancy design, improved versatility and enlarged functionality make this model perfect for the majority of growers.

AEROGARDEN HARVEST ELITE: Check the current price

HYDROFARM RS5GAL8SYS ROOT SPA 8, 5 GALLON BUCKET SYSTEM

Hydrofarm Holdings Group, Inc. was established over 40 years ago as manufacturer and distributor of gardening equipment, including hydroponic systems. Nowadays, the company owns 6 distribution houses in the U.S. and 2 in Canada.

The Root Spa is another deep water system in our top list. It consists of 8 growing buckets of 5 gal. capacity each. For the cultivating purposes any soilless medium can be applied; however, the manufacturer strongly recommends hydroponic substrate produced by the company.

The single bucket system includes a small single-outlet air pump while the 4-bucket system includes a larger 4-outlet Active Aqua air pump. This 8 bucket system comes with a powerful 8-outlet air pump which delivers oxygen to the bottom of each bucket. The system also features a water tight seal which minimizes the risk of leakages. The included ½" grommet fitting, ½" elbow fitting, and ¼" black tubing are also securely sealed.

Features

• Grow height (in.): not limited (requires additional support)
• Number of pots (pcs.): 8
• Weight (lbs): 28.3
• Dimensions (L x W x H) (in): 40.2 x 12.8 x 12.5

This option is a great value for its money and an awesome option to get started in DWC.

HYDROFARM ROOT SPA 8: Check the current price

GARDYN HOME INDOOR SMART GARDEN - WIFI INTEGRATED VERTICAL GARDENING KIT WITH AI-BASED APP

Gardyn is a privately owned company which was founded in 2018 with the headquarters in Maryland, The U.S. The company offers a plug and play solution of indoor vertical hydroponics system and controlled via app technology. Their innovation is getting more popularity and recognition with each day worldwide.

This Gardyn hydroponic system introduces innovative yPod technology which relies on the app control. Thus, the system provides 30 places for various plants to be grown at the same time. Water for this harvesting process is stored in a 6-gallon reservoir. This capacity allows making this Gardyn Home fully autonomous for weeks with no water refilling. The manufacturer declares that the first sprouts will appear in just a few days after the final setup of the system.

Multiple sensors serve to transfer real time data to Kelby™ smart Gardyn assistant. The information includes water level, temperature, humidity, and other data to promote plant growing efficiency.

Gardyn features columns, yPods and water reservoir made of high-quality FDA-compliant 100% recyclable plastics and aluminum. They can be washed in your dishwasher but typically require no care. The advanced design ensures full dissipation of heat coming from the integrated growing LED lights. They can be set manually or in auto mode depending on intensity working intervals needed.

Features

• Grow height (in.): not limited
• Number of pots (pcs.): 30
• Weight (lbs): 20
• Dimensions (L x W x H) (in): 12 x 24 x 64

This Gardyn system is the innovative Plug and Play Growing Solution which would turn your home gardening routine into an adventure.

GARDYN: Check the current price

VIVOSUN HYDROPONIC GROW KIT, 3 LAYERS 90 PLANT SITES 10 PVC PIPES HYDROPONICS GROWING SYSTEM

This VIVOSUN Hydroponic Grow Kit comprises 3 Layers of planting racks which accept up to 90 plants. This system is based on Nutrient Film Technique. Thanks to its circulation system, water consumption is considerably less in comparison with many hydroponic counterparts. Besides, the system includes a timer which activates the water pump by default setting. In particular, the pump runs for 5 minutes every half an hour to reach appropriate NTF conditions.

Features

• Grow height (in.): not limited (support is required)
• Number of pots (pcs.): 90
• Weight (lbs): 19.5
• Dimensions (L x W x H) (in): 31.6 x 11 x 10.3

This simple but efficient hydroponic system allows growing high-yield crops throughout the year with the caveat that enough sun or other suitable light source is provided.

VIVOSUN: Check the current price

BIG SMART HYDROPONICS SELF WATERING GARDENING SYSTEM WITH BUILT-IN PUMP AND SMART REMINDER

This Smart Garden comes with a controller which monitors the required water level in the system, and informs you whenever it has to be refilled. Besides, this model features big size pots and water basins to provide vigor growth of even vegetable plants like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, etc. Besides, this unit is supplied with 60” climbing trellis which support your harvest throughout the entire life of the plant.

The system can be arranged anywhere where direct sunshine can be obtained. Otherwise, it is strongly recommended to use growing lights for getting the best of this big smart hydroponics.

Features

• Grow height (in.): not limited
• Number of pots (pcs.): 3
• Weight (lbs): 7.7
• Dimensions (L x W x H) (in): 20 x 7 x 7.8

If you are going to grow vegetable gardens indoors, this smart hydroponic tabletop unit will help you to get total control over the cultivation process of your best all-year-round harvest.

SuperEgrow: Check the current price

IDOO HYDROPONICS GROWING SYSTEM, INDOOR HERB GARDEN STARTER KIT

This budget system features plenty of advanced features of the modern hydroponics. It is designed with a water circulation system including 2 pumping modes (normal and sleeping). The plentiful growth of your crops is also ensured by the adjustable LED light system which simulates the sunlight spectrum. This lighting system can work in 3 modes (normal, grow, and enjoy). In general, this unit allows growing up to 7 plants 13.4 inches tall with its 7 included pods.

IDOO: Check the current price

ATAMI WILMA 4 DRIPPER SYSTEM 11L POTS HYDROPONICS

This Wilma Small 4 kit includes 4 big growing pots, high-capacity reservoir for water and nutrient fluid, top tray, pump and dripping assembly (4 x flood and 4 x arrow drippers).The work of the latter is set with a timer which determines the irrigation frequency in auto mode. The dripping schedule can be changed depending on the life stage of the crops.

ATAMI WILMA 4: Check the current price

Best-Selling Hydroponic Systems | Comparison Table